Gust response analysis of aeroelastic flapping wings focused on bio-inspired UAVs

• Grant number: 25/03126-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: July 21, 2025
• End date: July 20, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Mechanical Engineering - Mechanics of Solids
• Principal Investigator: Douglas Domingues Bueno
• Grantee: Bianca Taís Visoná Carnielo
• Supervisor: Francesco Toffol
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia (FEIS). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Ilha Solteira. Ilha Solteira , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Politecnico di Milano, Italy
• Associated to the scholarship: 23/05596-0 - Aeroelasticity of Bird-Inspired UAVs, BP.DR

Abstract

Flapping-wing air vehicles have become a more attractive robot configuration, as they have agile maneuverability compared to fixed-wing and rotary-wing vehicles. The flapping-wing UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) offer many promising civil and military applications: from the inspection of buildings and other structures to surveillance, as well as monitoring, aerial photography, and mapping. The comprehension of the aeroelastic response of small aerial vehicles under the influence of gusts is a topic of interest in the field of flapping wings, once the aerodynamic forces resulting from gusts have more influence on the flight stability of UAVs with light weight when compared with larger aerial vehicles. In this context, the present proposal comprises to investigate aeroelastic responses due to discrete and continuous gust loads. The aeroelastic model consists of the fluid dynamic of flapping flight given by the adapted Unsteady Vortex Lattice Method (UVLM), combined with the structural model described by the Finite Element Method (FEM) obtained from the co-rotational approach. The results will contribute to designing flapping-wing-based bio-inspired UAVs considering gust loads.